Part Four of the Tufts soldiers story will cover the Revolutionary War soldiers from James Tufts to Zachariah Tufts. There may be more and there may be errors or omissions, but we will update those as they are discovered.
I will be posting this part as I write it, so check back often to see the completion. I will also be correcting things as they come in, so if any readers have a correction or story about one the subjects please forward it or comment.
The previous chapters are
Tufts Military History Part 1: Before the Revolution November 2012
Tufts Military History Part 2: Revolutionary Soldiers Aaron to Francis February 2014
Tufts Military History Part 3: Revolutionary Soldiers Frederick to James March 2014
Tufts Military History Part 5: Civil War Soldiers June 2023
I will also be trying to update the previous chapters so all the format matches. Some soldiers stories are told in separate postings so check the stories list on the right and find the date below. There are some great stories about Zachariah Tufts who fought with Morgan's Rangers, and Francis Tufts a hero at Saratoga, New York, from Massachusetts.
There were so many Tufts living around Boston at the onset of the Revolution it's hard to track their records exactly but I have done my best to sort out the many John Tufts and other common names. The records available online today are wonderful and readers interested in genealogy and history should seek out the actual documents to preserve and honor their ancestor. 2026 is the 250th anniversary of the war and many people will celebrate in Boston and elsewhere. Finding one's ancestors name on an old soldiers roll or signing of a Committee of Safety in a historical society or library are great discovery moments.
Dates of birth added and Tufts Kinsmen number added (index available at tuftskinsmenassociation.org) from Tufts Kinsmen 2010. Sons of the American Revolution number also added.)
There were several John Tufts in the service of their country in the Revolutionary War. I will present this list with as accurate information I have at the time of writing. Please forward errors, corrections or records that assist crediting the correct soldier to his ancestry and story. There may be more.
· John Tufts (1723) Belfast, Maine
· John Tufts (1739) Medford, Massachusetts
· 2 John Tuffs/Tufts (1704, 1743) of Brookfield, Massachusetts (father and son)
· John Tufts (1754) Charlestown, Massachusetts
· John Tufts (1755) Windham, Connecticut
John Tufts (1723-1802) (16-1)
John Tufts was a proprietor of Belfast, Maine. They had to evacuate the town during the war but he was credited with reporting Tories stealing cattle from the islands of Penobscot Bay. His story is told in one of my first blogs. He was the son of John from John and Peter the immigrant OR he was an Irish immigrant shipwrecked on Sable Island who survived and came to Windham, New Hampshire. story here
John Tufts (1739-1799) (19-5)
John Tufts was born in Medford, Massachusetts. He married Rebecca Hawkes and had three children, then married Lois Taylor and had 2 children in Malden, Massachusetts. He marched with Captain Blaney’s company to Point Shirley in 1776.
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the American Revolution:
- Tufts, John, Private, in a company commanded by Capt. Benjamin Blaney, of Malden; service, 3 days; company marched to Point Shirley June 13, 1776, by order of Gen. Lincoln.
- Tufts, John, Medford. List dated Medford, Dec. 9, 1776, of men drafted from town of Medford, Dec. 9, 1776, to march to Cambridge and join Capt. John Walton's co. and go to Noddle's Island; also, Private, Capt. Walton's co.; enlisted Dec. 9, 1776; discharged Dec. 12, 1776; company detached for service at Noddle's Island.
- Tufts, [John].Private, Capt. Isaac Hall's co.; service, 4 days; company marched from Medford by order of Gen. Washington at the time of taking Dorchester Heights in March, 1776.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
John Tufts (1664-1728) Malden, MA and Mary Putnam (1668-1758)
Benjamin Tufts (1699-1774) Charlestown MA and Mary Hutchinson (1708-1742/3)
John Tufts (1754-1839) (53-3) (SAR# 52889)
John Tufts was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts and was the son of Peter and Anne (Adams) Tufts. He married Elizabeth Perry, the daughter of Lydia (Tufts) Perry. They had 12 children and lived on Sycamore Street, Somerville, in house now (1903) occupied by Somerville Historical Society, which was also General Lee's Headquarters, 1775. John’s SAR application states he and his father Peter were Minutemen for the Lexington Alarm.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
John Tufts (1664-1728) Malden, MA and Mary Putnam (1668-1758)
Peter Tufts (1697-1776) Charlestown MA and Lydia Bucknam (1703/4-1776)
Peter Tufts (1729-1791) Somerville, MA and Anne Adams (1729-1831) (Nurse)
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the American Revolution:
- Tufts, John. Corporal, Lexington alarm; served 8 mos., 1775-76. Tufts, John, Medford, Corporal, Capt. Isaac Hall's co., Col. Thomas Gardner's regt., which assembled April 19, 1775; service, 5 days; also, (late) Capt. Hall's co., Lieut. Col. William Bond's (late Col. Gardner's) 37th regt.; company return dated Camp Prospect Hill, Cambridge. Oct. 6, 1775; also, Lieut. Caleb Brooks' (late Capt. Hall's) co., Col. Bond's regt.; order for money in lieu of bounty coat dated Prospect Hill, Dec. 29, 1775, Medford List dated Medford, Dec. 9, 1776, of men drafted from town of Medford, Dec. 9, 1776, to march to Cambridge and join Capt. John Walton's co. and go to Noddle's Island Boston Harbor; also, Capt. Isaac Hall's co.; service, 4 days; company marched from Medford by order of Gen. Washington at the time of taking Dorchester Heights in March, 1776.
John Tuffs/Tufts (1704-1795) (12-3)
John Tuffs/Tufts was said to have been born in New Hampshire but moved to West Brookfield, Massachusetts. He married Agnes Foote and left a large family. His family claimed he was from Ireland and research is ongoing. There are some military rolls including his name from prior to the Revolution, but it is unknown if he turned out in 1776 being age 72. Three of his sons were soldiers in the Revolution, John Jr, Thomas, and William. His daughters also married soldiers of the Colonial Wars or had sons who served.
Peter Tufts (the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
James Tufts (1650-1675) Malden, MA and Elizabeth Wells (1652-1673)
James Tufts (1670-1722) Medford, MA and Hannah Woodman (1669-1747)
John Tuffs/Tufts Jr (1743-1828) (34-5)
John Tufts Jr. was the son of John Tuffs/Tufts (above). He married Mary Shaw and had a family in West Brookfield.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
James Tufts (1650-1675) Malden, MA and Elizabeth Wells (1652-1673)
James Tufts (1670-1722) Medford, MA and Hannah Woodman (1669-1747)
John Tufts (1704-1795) West Brookfield, MA (OR Ireland) and Agnes Foote (1707-1788)
- Tufts, John. List of men, dated Brookfield, June 30, 1778, showing service credited to them, respectively, as returned by the committee chosen to make an average of the service rendered to the credit of the 3d Precinct of Brookfield; total amount of service rendered made to average 5½ months for each single poll in said precinct; said Tufts credited with 6 2/3 mos. service. Private, Capt. Caleb Champney's co.; enlisted Feb. 9, 1779; discharged May 8, 1779; service, 3 mos., with guards under Maj. Gen. Gates at and about Boston; also, Capt. Champney's co., Maj. Nathaniel Heath's detachment of guards; enlisted May 14, 1779; discharged July 3, 1779; service, 1 mo. 20 days, at and about Boston
John Tufts (1755-1835)
John Tufts was born in Windham Connecticut. He married Abigail (unknown) and had two daughters, moved to New York, then settled in Ludlow, Massachusetts. He served in the Third Connecticut Regiment and others. While in (Sand Lake) New York, his daughter married and some records have the name spelled TUFT AND TUFFT. I believe all these records are for John and his daughter Sally who married Noah Bentley, despite her name spelled without the S.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Peter Tufts Jr. (Captain) (1648-1721) and Elizabeth Lynde (1650-1684)
Peter Tufts (1678-1756) and Deborah Lawrence (1682-1777)
Aaron Tufts (1726-)1809 and Bridget Utley (1734-1759)
John’s pension documents are reflected in this quote from Tufts Kinsmen. There are also war records available that confirm his service.
John entered the Revolutionary War as a volunteer from New Milford, Conn. in Apr. 1775 for six months in Captain Starr’s Co., Colonel Hinman’s Regiment. of Connecticut Militia and marched to Kent and Canaan, Conn.; Stockbridge and Sheffield, Mass. and then to Albany, N.Y.; thence to Fort George under Gen. Philip John Schuyler, where he remained for several months and was ordered to Fort Ticonderoga where he remained until discharged. In January 1776 he again enlisted in Colonel Webb’s Regiment of Connecticut troops. His company commander was Captain Leavinsworth. They marched to Roxbury [Boston], Mass. and remained until British troops evacuated Boston the following March. The Regiment then marched to Providence, R. I. where they remained several weeks watching enemy movements and throwing up entrenchments and redoubts. He then marched to New London and was shipped to New York city to join the army on Long Island but he was too sick for duty and was sent back to a New York hospital and then home to New Milford in the Fall. In the Spring of ’78 he enlisted again for 8 months as substitute for a Pomfret draftee in Captain Daniel Allen’s Company, Colonel Wylly’s Regiment of General Parson’s Brigade, and joined the Army then at West Point, thence to White Plains until the Regiment was ordered to Quaker Hill, about 12 miles from New York. After the war he moved back to Ashford and in 1786 to Stephentown, N. Y. In March 1818 he moved to Ludlow, Mass. where he was head of the household in 1820.
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